Memphis in Shelby County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Ostrica Lock/Buras, Louisiana/Empire Lock/Nairn, Louisiana

Panel #3 Mississippi Riverwalk

By Sandra Hughes, May 18, 2010

1. Ostrich Lock/Buras, Louisiana/Empire Lock/Nairn, Louisiana Marker

Inscription. A) Ostrica Lock
Mile 25.2 AHP

This lock connects the river to the Gulf of Mexico through a short channel extending north into Breton Sound. It is used chiefly by fishermen, crew boats, and pleasure craft.

B) Buras, Louisiana
Mile 26.0 AHP

Buras is part of the citrus growing area that stretches in a narrow band along the river. The orange and grapefruit are harvested from October through January when the weather permits.
Hurricanes have heavily damage Buras and destroyed many older orange groves.

C) Empire Lock
Mile 34.5 AHP

This lock is the entrance to the Empire Waterway, a direct navigational channel to the Gulf of Mexico. It is primarily used by commercial vessels carrying seafood, shells, and offshore drilling equipment.

D) Nairn, Louisiana
Mile 34.5 AHP

During the flood of 1973, the river began to eat away at the bank in front of the Nairn Levee. Army engineers and local volunteers joined forces to save it. Sandbags, stones, gravel, shell, and ever old car bodies were heaved into the giant hole that the river had gorged. Their efforts held back the river long enough for the Corps of Engineers to build a setback levee to protect Nairn.

Erected by Mississippi Riverwalk. (Marker Number 3.)

Location. 35° 8.968′ N, 90° 3.507′ W. Marker is in Memphis, Tennessee, in Shelby County. Marker can be reached from Island Drive 0.8 miles south of West A.W. Willis Avenue when traveling south. Touch for map. Located in Mud Island River Park. Marker is at or near this postal address: 125 N Front St, Memphis TN 38103, United States of America.

Also see . . . 1. Ostrica Locks. Across the Mississippi from Buras.
This is a very isolated lock without road access. (Submitted on March 12, 2018, by Sandra Hughes of Killen, Usa.)

2. Buras-Triumph, Louisiana. In April 1862, during the American Civil War, the Battle of Forts Jackson and St. Philip took place near Buras. Union Flag Officer David Farragut led a fleet up the river to capture New Orleans and engaged the forts in the early morning hours of April 23. A single Union vessel, the USS Varuna, was sunk near Buras in an engagement with the Confederate steamer CSS Governor Moore and the CSS Stonewall Jackson. The heavily damaged Governor Moore also sank, not far from its Union opponent. (Submitted on March 12, 2018, by Sandra Hughes of Killen, Usa.)

3. Empire Locks. Fifty miles downstream from New Orleans, almost the ten of the "Great River Road" (here LA 23) are the two state-operated Locks which give fishing and oysters boats direct access to the Golf on each side. (Submitted on March 12, 2018, by Sandra Hughes of Killen, Usa.)

4. LA Hometown Locator. Since Nairn is located within the Empire CDP, all of the census and demographic data for residents of Nairn are included as part of the information reported for Empire CDP in the "Data" tab above. (Submitted on March 12, 2018, by Sandra Hughes of Killen, Usa.)

Credits. This page was last revised on March 13, 2018. This page originally submitted on March 12, 2018, by Sandra Hughes of Killen, Usa. This page has been viewed 18 times since then. Photo1. submitted on March 12, 2018, by Sandra Hughes of Killen, Usa. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.

Editor’s want-list for this marker. Wide shot of marker and its surroundings. • Can you help?